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Outrage Grows Toward BLM Board Anti-Wild Horse Stance

Call for Congressional investigation into conflict of interest on anti-wild horse advisory board catering to livestock and extractive industries

Photo by Laura Leigh, Horseback Magazine

WASHINGTON (Protect Mustangs)–Protect Mustangs strongly opposes the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board’s proposal to spay wild mustangs due to health risks including death and because no accurate independent headcount has been provided to prove alleged overpopulation is an issue despite multiple requests for such evidence.

“This cruel plan could kill many federally protected wild horses,” explains Anne Novak executive director for Protect Mustangs. “We oppose spaying wild mares in the field because it’s a high risk procedure. The BLM is charged with protecting wild horses not putting their lives in jeopardy. ”

Protect Mustangs is also calling for an independent audit to determine the number of mustangs in the wild and in holding facilities.

“Show us an independent headcount and then let’s talk about overpopulation–if it’s a realistic concern,” continues Novak. “Right now we see the BLM inflating the population numbers to justify rampant million dollar roundups, money dumped into fertility research and funds spent to warehouse 50,000 captive wild horses. Today maybe 17,000 are left in all ten western states. This could be the end for America’s indigenous free roaming wild horse.”

“We are concerned the anti-mustang advisory board is spreading disinformation about reproduction rates,” says Novak. “Life is harsh on the range. Wild horses don’t reproduce like rabbits and many foals die before they are two. Saying the herds double every 5 years is an invented distortion to push through radical policy endangering mustangs.”

Monday during the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meeting in Salt Lake, the Salazar Plan was pushed into the final phase to wipe out American wild horses living on public land. The Board, stacked to favor the livestock and extractive industries–profiting off public land–recommended spaying wild horses to control an alleged but not proven overpopulation on the range.

Members of the public and wild horse advocates are outraged over the proposal which has at least a 10% death rate and a pandora’s box full of complications.

“It’s a lot more complicated and the potential for complications and side effects is much greater,” said the BLM’s vet, Dr. Al Kane USDA-APHIS, during a report to the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board in 2011. “The potential effects on herd behavior or individual mare behavior are an issue.”

Protect Mustangs urges members of the public to contact their elected officials in Congress to request:

• An investigation into conflict of interest rampant amongst Wild Horse & Burro Advisory Board members.
• An independent audit to determine the number of mustangs in the wild and in holding.
• They come to the aid of federally protected wild horses who are at risk of being abused by the agency charged with their care.
“The public loves American wild horses,” says Kerry Becklund, director of outreach for Protect Mustangs. “We want the BLM and their biased Advisory Board to back off and quit trying to wipe them out.

I have been following the actions of the BLM on facebook and have fears for our “wild horses.” These are the decendents of our first herds. They have been our loyal friends, they helped this country grow, they need protection from the government. They are “helping” our horses to death and they don’t care how they die.

Please bring this to the attention of the “powers that be” and STOP this “help” they have been given. We had lots of them until the BLM took over to “help” them. Leave them alone and they will be fine.

admin

October 31, 2012 at 10:51 pm

The BLM controls 242 Million Acres. There is plenty of room for all the horses no matter what.

“This is significant,” Mr. Sebastian states, “. . . as this becomes, and has been, a slice of our public debt, and unfortunately hidden from the public at large. Taxpayers should know where their money is going, it should not be hidden. Right now it is hidden in the BLM, with no credibility or attempt to show the tax paying public the real figures and costs of the roundups. This compared to simply leaving the Wild Herds alone, at an approximate cost-field-management amount of perhaps $852,000.00 per year, for grassland management, horse management, and cattle grazing management.” (i.e. Grassland Management Principles) et al.
Conclusion
This is not meant as an article as such, rather a short synopsis of a few laws and policy situations for information only. It is up to the individual Advocate to explore the variety of things and options available to everyone. This is also meant to give the Advocate a slight understanding of the legal-speak required when filing a complaint with the FBI or other government agencies. Further research is required before making a complaint. More to come, as Note to WHHA, so this is not the definitive list, simply a short list, version 1.

Here is a short-agenda to approach the BLM / DOI Drones. To start make them prove their EA’s; Demand Accurate Horse Head Counts and prove within the context of the EA; Demand and have them show “Provable Science” and “Valid Data Range Research” within the EA that shows beyond a doubt the harm done to the exact Range area discussed, supposedly by the horses, and where the correction is required (via provable range research and non-bias data).

More and more outright Felony situations

The highlights of current violation foreshadow previous investigations – ALL FELONIES:
BLM Management personnel have authorized the transportation of wild horses to group adopters at the expense of the government;
BLM management personnel have authorized the fee waiver and/or fee reduction of wild horses without delegated authority;
BLM management failed to inspect and prepare written reports for group adopter facilities and property prior to receiving adopted wild horses;
BLM personnel publicly and openly promoted the commercial us of wild horses, i.e., bucking stock and slaughter house;
BLM personnel in concurrence with BLM management, entered false information regarding the wild horse documents into BLM DPS-8000 (i.e. or current updated facility) data base;
BLM personnel through their government positions, arranged for special privileges and allowances pertaining to wild horse adoptions;
BLM personnel and management knowingly converted to the use of another, wild horses belonging to the United States;
Many, many more “lack of document” charges, especially in regard to the Wild Horse Herd Counts and the financial income and expenditures mandatory at each BLM facility, were not completed, lost, or unavailable for confirmation – in order to appropriate funding for each facility;
Several more listings expressed concern toward illegal activity, and lack of following directorial and mandated training and compliance of Inspectors, Wranglers, and Field Level Administrators of the Wild Horse and Burro Program.